Bad news. After lifting last week one of my shoulders hurts, and not in a good way. I worked out my chest and was having an off day. I couldn't lift as heavy as the previous chest workout but this happens. However, after driving home my shoulder started to ache.

This isn't the first time. Over the past 6 years I've had a love/hate relationship with the gym. I love lifting and I make good progress despite being an ecto. But after a while my shoulder just says stop. And it's always a different injury.

I've had to stop lifting before. First time I got back after a few months but the second time I stopped for over a year. When the shoulder finally healed I started again, slowly. I didn't lift every day anymore, but three times a week. Properly warm up, execute exercises properly and increase the weights slowly. I loved every bit of it despite progressing slower than average. It still made me big.

But now, that damned shoulder again... Going to a doctor later today but I already dread his verdict: injury due to straining the shoulder. I'll go to a PT who can hopefully help me heal. But then what? It's been the third time I've injured this damned shoulder, it will happen again.

Luckily my self-esteem isn't tied too much to my muscles. But the single act of going to the gym is awesome. When I'm angry I vent my frustration on the weights and I also love the socializing.

I might have to give up lifting weights (heavily) for good. I might still be able to go to the gym using low weights and focus more on cardio. I could do more bodyweight exercises and start swimming. But it just isn't the same.

Any bro's here who experienced the same? How did you cope with it? What other kind of workouts do you do now?